Mounjaro Examples: Doses, Pens and Real-World Uses (October 2026)

01 · The basics

What Mounjaro and tirzepatide are, with examples

Mounjaro is the brand name for tirzepatide, a once-weekly injectable prescription medicine made by Eli Lilly. In the UK it is licensed for weight management in adults and for type 2 diabetes.¹ Tirzepatide is the active ingredient; Mounjaro is the product name on the box.

It comes as a pre-filled multi-dose pen (KwikPen) in six strengths: 2.5mg, 5mg, 7.5mg, 10mg, 12.5mg and 15mg.¹ These are examples of how prescribers talk about strengths, not instructions: your own plan is set by the prescriber who reviews your consultation.

If you are weighing up the cost of each strength, our Mounjaro pen prices and consultation page shows live prices, and all strengths are in stock.

02 · A worked example

A worked example of how treatment progresses

A typical course starts low and steps up gradually, with each change reviewed by the prescriber. The pen is injected once a week, on the same day each week, and the dose increases after at least 4 weeks, depending on how you respond. A prescriber may pause at a strength that works well, so not everyone reaches the highest pen.

After that, people continue on the strength agreed with their prescriber, and our team carries out ongoing monthly reviews as part of aftercare. Your first 2.5mg pen costs £129.99 with code FIRST40 (standard price £169.99), and every later order is £25 off the standard price.

03 · Is it for you?

Is a Mounjaro example relevant to you?

It is relevant if you are an adult considering medical help alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, and you can discuss your history honestly with a prescriber. Mounjaro is a prescription-only medicine, supplied only after an online consultation reviewed by a GPhC-registered prescriber. It is used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. Individual results vary.¹

If you would like to see what the process looks like for yourself, you can start with our free online consultation on the Mounjaro product page. Payment is taken when you place the order; if the prescriber decides the treatment is not suitable, the order is refunded automatically in full. For broader background on how treatment fits into a plan, see our weight loss clinic.

04 · Trial result examples

Trial results as examples, not promises

One well-known example of tirzepatide's results is the SURMOUNT-1 trial. In the SURMOUNT-1 trial of 2,539 adults, people taking tirzepatide alongside diet and exercise lost on average 15% of their body weight on 5mg, 19.5% on 10mg and 20.9% on 15mg over 72 weeks, compared with 3.1% with lifestyle changes alone.²

These are trial averages — individual results vary, and treatment works alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, not instead of them.² An average is a midpoint: some people lose less than the figure and some more. Trial averages do not predict your own result.

For a sense of scale, take someone starting at 100 kg: 20.9% is about 21 kg. That is arithmetic on a trial average, not a forecast for any individual, and it says nothing about how fast it happens.

The same trial reported how many people reached smaller targets. At 72 weeks, 85% of participants on 5mg, 89% on 10mg and 91% on 15mg had lost at least 5% of their body weight. Half of participants on 10mg and 57% on 15mg lost at least 20% of their body weight.²

05 · How it works

How Mounjaro works, in plain examples

Tirzepatide is the first treatment of its kind to activate two natural gut-hormone receptors at once: GIP and GLP-1. Together these help regulate appetite, slow how quickly the stomach empties, and improve the way the body responds to insulin.¹

In practice, most people feel fuller sooner and less hungry between meals, which supports a reduced-calorie diet.¹ A simple example: a meal that would previously have left you wanting more may feel sufficient sooner. The medicine does not replace food choices; it makes a reduced-calorie diet easier to follow.

This dual action is what distinguishes Mounjaro from single-action GLP-1 medicines such as semaglutide (Wegovy/Ozempic).¹ Tirzepatide has a half-life of about five days, so after a final dose it takes roughly four to five weeks to clear the system. There is no way to speed this up, and nothing needs doing while it clears.¹

06 · Other GLP-1 examples

Other GLP-1 medicines you may see alongside it

Mounjaro is one of several injectable examples in this class. Wegovy (semaglutide) pens are 0.25mg, 0.5mg, 1mg, 1.7mg and 2.4mg once weekly, with the dose stepping up after 4 weeks on each of 0.25mg, 0.5mg, 1mg and 1.7mg, so the 2.4mg maintenance dose starts from week 17.¹⁸ The 2.4mg dose is the licensed maintenance dose for weight management.¹⁸

Liraglutide (Saxenda, and products such as Erly) is supplied at a concentration of 6mg/ml and is a daily injection, unlike once-weekly Mounjaro and Wegovy. Oral options such as Wegovy tablets and Foundayo also exist; they are different medicines from Mounjaro, with their own dosing, eligibility checks and trial results, and both are prescription-only.

If you want a fuller list, see GLP-1 medication examples and GLP-1 agonist examples. Related wording is covered in examples of GLP-1 inhibitors, GLP-1 analogue examples and GLP-1 mimetic examples.

07 · Pros and cons

Pros and cons of Mounjaro: an honest example list

The main advantages are a once-weekly pen, a dual-action mechanism and the average results reported in SURMOUNT-1 when combined with diet and activity.² Many people also find the weekly routine easier than a daily injection.

The downsides are equally real. Results vary, so the trial averages may not match yours. It works alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, not instead of them. It is a prescription medicine that needs a consultation and ongoing review. Like all medicines, it can cause side effects; the full list is in the patient information leaflet.¹³

For long-term side effects, read the patient information leaflet and talk to your prescriber about anything new. You can report any suspected side effect through the Yellow Card scheme.¹⁹

08 · NHS and private

NHS and private examples

Mounjaro is available on the NHS, but access is being phased in over several years. NICE recommends it for adults with a BMI of at least 35 plus at least one weight-related condition, and the NHS primary-care rollout began in June 2025 with the highest-need groups first (initially BMI 40+ with four or more qualifying conditions).⁴⁶

Full rollout is expected to take years, which is why many people who meet the licensed criteria choose regulated private treatment rather than waiting. If you are unsure which route fits, ask your GP first, then compare providers.

09 · Common myths

Myths and look-alikes worth knowing

"Poor man's Ozempic" is a marketing phrase used for low-cost supplements such as berberine. They are available cheaply without assessment and carry no clinical oversight, and dosing is not standardised. They are not licensed medicines and are not an established equivalent of tirzepatide or semaglutide.

Be wary of anyone offering to supply Mounjaro without a consultation or prescription, or promising specific results. Counterfeit medicines are a genuine risk; the MHRA publishes alerts.⁷ Our supply comes from official LillyDirect, direct from Eli Lilly's UK distribution, and our registration is GPhC 9012878.

A public figure's experience is not evidence about your own treatment.

10 · Serious side effects

Serious side effects: when to get help straight away

Serious side effects are uncommon but need urgent attention. Seek immediate medical help for: severe, persistent stomach pain that may spread to your back, with or without vomiting (possible pancreatitis); pain in the upper right abdomen, fever or yellowing of skin/eyes (possible gallbladder problems); or signs of a severe allergic reaction such as swelling of the face or throat and difficulty breathing. If you take insulin or a sulfonylurea alongside Mounjaro, watch for low blood sugar (shakiness, sweating, confusion) — your prescriber may need to adjust those medicines.¹

11 · Ordering example

What ordering looks like, step by step

The process starts with a free online consultation, a short health questionnaire with no charge and no obligation. Payment is taken when you place the order; if the prescriber decides the treatment is not suitable, the order is refunded automatically in full.

Approved orders are dispensed by our registered pharmacy, with same-day dispatch when ordered by 3pm. Delivery is free next-day tracked (DPD, temperature-controlled packaging, discreet); Saturday delivery is £14.99. Needles, a sharps bin and injection guidance are included with every order, and repeat orders re-check suitability with no auto-shipping.